The first half of that video, I was sure we were looking at a little piece of sketchy model-building. Then in about 20 seconds it starts to look like a piece of engineering. Anyone know if that is a legitimate firearm? I don't see what hold the barrels in firing position.posted by SkinnerSan at 2:08 PM on June 15, 2014

The barrel lock, that clunky lever above the trigger area, looks a bit awkward -- but otherwise it's a beautiful piece of work.posted by fredludd at 2:16 PM on June 15, 2014

There were dimensions to the Alan Parsons Project that I hadn't considered.

Anyone know if that is a legitimate firearm? I don't see what hold the barrels in firing position.

At 16:30 shows the release mechanism for the barrel. It is a real firearm.posted by Brian B. at 3:36 PM on June 15, 2014

Brian, I think you're talking about the second video, whereas others here might be talking about the first. (The first video only goes up to 12:58, so you can't be talking about that one.) The second looks a lot more sturdy somehow. Not sure he'd have the temerity to fire either, though.posted by koeselitz at 4:14 PM on June 15, 2014

Heavens, I hope we didn't see something illegal.

That would depend on where it was filmed and who the person is; it's impossible to know in the abstract.posted by Dip Flash at 4:58 PM on June 15, 2014

Look at all that firepower, right in the palm of your hand!
(Not really - that thing is an ergonomic disaster.)posted by sneebler at 5:11 PM on June 15, 2014 [1 favorite]

It's pretty much a "stock" derringer, ergonomically speaking: Not built so much for comfort, more for being able to hide it in your hand. Looks like .22 rounds to me, so not too much kick. Probably a lot safer than any of the various 'zip gun' or 'pen gun' designs you can buy off the shelf to fire the same round.

And, yeah - I never got the whole 'You can 3d print a gun!' thing - IMO, it's a hallmark of somebody who really dosen't understand at least one of them - For half the price and hassle of a 3d printer you can go down to Harbor Freight and buy everything you need to make guns that are a whole lot safer.posted by Orb2069 at 6:49 PM on June 15, 2014 [1 favorite]

I about choked when I saw the hand drill mill setup, guy really knows his tools and how to get the most out of them. I'm really humbled considering the clunky bits and bobs I came up with when I had access to a full machine shop.posted by calamari kid at 7:03 PM on June 15, 2014 [7 favorites]

Impressive skills to be sure. It's an assumption on my part, but I'd assume similar techniques and tools are used by the artisans who make Khyber Pass copies. Not that long ago, pretty much all firearms contained some element of hand fitting. Truly interchangable parts, built to exacting standards and tolerances are a pretty modern phenomenon.posted by tim_in_oz at 8:00 PM on June 15, 2014 [4 favorites]

I wondered about rifling, and wikipedia tells me that derringers in use in the 1800s were rifled. Won't the bullet start tumbling?posted by Killick at 9:11 PM on June 15, 2014

Derringers seem to be intended for very close range targets of relatively large size, such as an animal capable of endangering a person, or another human being. So, while rifling might be the correct way to make such a firearm, I think in the case of a derringer, it wouldn't add any real usefulness for its intended purpose.

I don't own one, but I can see a use for one back when I was a desert dweller, loaded with snake shot. In which case rifling would be a disadvantage.posted by 2N2222 at 10:49 PM on June 15, 2014

That is half sculpture and half engineering. The way he centered the holes and then tied it together with an old stripped screw was amazing.posted by psycho-alchemy at 11:40 PM on June 15, 2014

I'll echo calamari kid, this is the proof that "it's the craftsman, not the tool".

(NB: I have that same small cross-slide vise and it is a total piece of shit, frankly, what you'd expect [but hold out hope it won't be] for the modest cost compared to a precision version.

Too bad I can no longer blame the tool. Thanks for nothing, grinder man!)posted by maxwelton at 1:11 AM on June 16, 2014 [1 favorite]

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